Weekend water woes
You know, there is just something about running water that can totally transform your perception of your life. Actually, when you have constant access to it, you don’t really even notice. It’s when you lose it that you suddenly realize what a precious blessing it is.
I know this firsthand because we went without running water for several days last week when our pump and pressure tank went on the fritz.
My husband was showering Friday evening when he yelled for me. He was in mid-rinse when, suddenly, the water stopped. I grabbed a couple of gallons of bottled water that are on hand for when the power goes out, and he was able to finish up.
Then, he went down to the basement to assess the problem. He determined that the switch on the pressure tank just needed to be reset. And, resetting it did, indeed, return water to our pipes.
But Saturday night, when I was in the shower, the same thing occurred again. I yelled for him to go reset the switch so I could finish (I hadn’t had a chance to restock the bottled water supply). The switch was reset about 27 times during the evening while all five of us showered for church the next day.
But then, resetting the switch stopped working. Unfortunately for my husband, who detests working with plumbing, a simple reset could no longer fix the problem. Unfortunately for me, it was the weekend and I was going to have to wait until Monday for him to have access to the store where he purchases plumbing supplies.
Sunday morning, I awoke the children earlier than usual so they could each take a turn hauling a bucket of water from the frost-free spigot at the barn. I was going to need some for flushing the toilet and cleaning up the kitchen.
It brought back memories of my own childhood, carrying buckets of water in the summer when drought caused fears of the pump running dry. We took turns, sometimes alone and sometimes with another sibling’s assistance, carrying buckets of water for flushing, cleaning and even bathing, as necessary. At least my kids didn’t have to experience a sponge bath in the sink with stove-heated water being poured over their heads. (This is starting to sound like a “walked to school uphill both ways” kind of story, isn’t it?)
By Monday afternoon, after enlisting the help of a patient neighbor and our good friend, our water was restored. After some difficulty, they were able to figure out what exact conglomeration of new components and equipment was needed to make the precious liquid pour forth when the faucet was turned on.
The buckets were taken out, the kitchen was scrubbed again, and life returned to normal. I hope the kids gained a new appreciation for running water and the ease it brings to our lives. I know I was reminded – and am grateful.
Laura Zoeller can be reached at zoeller5@verizon.net.